Fantasy Clicks: Zito, Bourn highlight weekend of top performers

As I write today's Clicks, I am nursing a quite-painful rib/oblique injury, with a recuperation plan that requires sleep and -- as luck would have it -- plenty of Aleve. So, in advance, please excuse the relative brevity of Friday's column ... unless you secretly loathed the James Michener-esque length of Wednesday's super-sized NFL Clicks. If that's the case, then enjoy this fantasy leaflet.

Seeking an off-the-radar pitcher for Saturday? Here's one possible gem to consider:Justin Masterson, Indians (vs. Twins)Pros:**Has the potential for 10-plus strikeouts on any day/against any opponent**At the very least, he's a lock for a 'plus' K/BB ratio**Has allowed only three runs (in 11 innings) at Progressive Field (Saturday's venue)**Will likely face the Twins without Justin Morneau (back injury) in the lineup**By season's end, Masterson will prove to be Cleveland's top fantasyland starter

Cons:**Hasn't gotten past the 4th inning in his last two starts**Progressive Field will likely have no buzz, since the Cavs and Celtics are playing next door in the NBA playoffs**Opposing left-handers are hitting .458 against Masterson, which spells good news for Joe Mauer/Denard Span

Last week, Pardon The Interruption co-host Tony Kornheiser -- ESPN's lovable lightning-rod of controversy (ahem, Hannah Storm) -- made some innocuous comment about how Major League Baseball's Commissoner's Office should assume control of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who've been floundering as a franchise since 1993 and seemingly hold no hope of becoming respectable anytime soon. Yes, Kornheiser's comments were probably a knee-jerk reaction to Pittsburgh's 20-0 home loss to Milwaukee on April 22 ... but, on a larger scale, was he correct in asserting the Pirates are a hopeless cause in today's marketplace?

In next Friday's Clicks, we'll perform a detailed examination of the Pirates, as it relates to Pittsburgh's long-term viability in fantasyland. We'll also try to keep our knocks on GM Neal Huntington's uninspiring personality to a minimum.

Verdict: Let's be honest. Wigginton is merely one step above The Eminently Replaceables -- a group of decent veterans who'll always be available in free agency -- due to his 1B/3B versatility. That said, it's hard to justify keeping anyone who's not a lock for 35 runs/RBIs from this point forward. So, this trade is essentially a 1-for-1 swap that'll solely be determined by Bruce's success or failure in Year 3 with the Reds. If Bruce hits 25 homers, and keeps his average above .245, this will be a victory for Team A. But if he should fall below one or both of the previous estimates, it's a landmark steal for Team B -- which is ironic, since neither player impacts stolen bases.

Feeling A Draft In Here?

With MLB's first-year player draft on the horizon, here are the first 20 picks from MyMLBDraft.com's most recent mock draft (updated April 27). You'll notice that Washington has a chance to land two once-in-a-lifetime players in back-to-back seasons -- Stephen Strasburg in 2009 ... and Vegas power-hitting legend Bryce Harper this season: